Luminous Spark
by Valkyrie15
Summary: A "Part 2" for my champion background stories  started with Talon in the story "Rogue's Ascendance , this time featuring Lux and her past up to the champ judgment. Several original characters included in the story alongside old favorites in LoL.
1. The Fated Meeting

Author Talk: Second League of Legends story here. This story is going to be similar to the one I did for Talon some time ago, which is like an "Origins" story for a character. Basically, I will try to use whatever lore I have at my hands right now (with some minor changes as plot requires) to create my own version of the "pre-champion judgment" story of the character, complete with several original characters. As the title might have hinted, this next story is about Lux. Seeing as this is an opening chapter, it will be very short for now, since it only serves as an intro to the story. Enjoy!

Chapter 1:

The Fated Meeting

The late afternoon sunlight shone in the majestic city of Demacia. Its rays illuminate the several structures and spires with orangish light. Flags fly around the top of spires throughout the city, and the marble buildings seemingly glitter due to the sunlight. Several guards and soldiers march about to maintain order in case anything would happen among the citizen. In Demacia, there is no tolerance for crimes, as all crimes are treated equally and heavily punished. Despite Demacia being known as a paragon for virtue and justice, Demacia actually adopts a draconian measures to adopt their moral code. The day seemed to end, but heavy training still continued in the military headquarters of Demacia. After all, Demacia has a bitter rivalry with Noxus, and that has been the case for years. The Demacian military has been trained with a very strict moral code of never showing fear or surrendering in battle. While battle training still continued, special training was being conducted at a structure near the Demacian palace.

This structure is the Demacian College of Magic. Classes have already finished for most of the prodigies, but a blonde girl stayed behind. Her name was Luxanna, daughter of the Crownguard family, one of the six royal houses of Demacia. Facing her was a famous scholar of magic going by the name Chronos. His real name has been unknown to many, as he doesn't give out his name in his continuous travels. Even as he finally settled on Demacia, no one knew much about him, other than his extensive knowledge of archaic magic and magic in general. Lux was discovered to be a prodigy in magic and through their influence, the Crownguard family managed to get the mysterious Chronos to personally hone Lux's skills.

Lux quickly threw her baton forward. As the baton flew forward in a spinning motion, it created a wave of energy around its path. As it returned to Lux, a barrier seemed to have formed around her. The teacher, holding a gnarly staff, flung his hand out and shot a shockwave towards Lux, breaking through her shield and pushing her back. Afterwards, he smiled.

"Still needs some practice, at least you can now easily summon a spark of light and use your ability to turn yourself invisible efficiently. It has been an eventful week, hasn't it?"

Chronos' smile produced a reassuring feeling. His benevolence radiated from his old wrinkly face and long gray hair. He slowly rubbed his hand around Lux's golden hair.

"You still have a long way to go, girl. You are making sure and steady progress though, and you will be Demacia's finest sorceress in due time. Then, you would be able to help the city-state with your powers. Isn't that why you were entrusted to me in the first place?"

Lux's generally cheery demeanor disappeared and she felt frustrated. She does not like to be reminded of why she underwent this training. Chronos noticed her and understood her sentiments.

"Now, now, I think that will be enough for today. You still need some work in creating your barrier but you may have your rest now. You do live in the palace now, don't you? Oh, and I think I would like to take a break from these lessons. Anyways, your parents gave me control over my availability, so we'll resume next week. I will introduce you to a special someone by that time."

Lux nodded and went out form the room they were training in. The sunset started giving way to the darkness of nighttime. Lux hurried back to the palace. She was greeted by guards along the way, whom she smiled back at. She doesn't show much of her problems to people except Chronos. She was known to be cheerful and carefree among the palace residents.

"Hmmm, what to do? No training for a week, maybe I can go on an adventure somewhere."

Lux had been very curious and outgoing since she was a young girl, and her curiosity usually led her to misadventures. She skipped her way to the basement library. The library was closed to the public at night, so she was surprised to see a figure sitting with his back turned somewhere in the library.

"Mistress, this person has been granted permission to use the archives at this time. It seemed that he also wanted a favor from a member of this palace," explained a guard.

Lux entered quietly, being careful as to not startle the person. She peered through the man and saw that he was accessing the archived maps of Valoran.

**To be continued...**


	2. A Sudden Invitation

Chapter 2:

A Sudden Invitation

Lux, out of curiosity, approached the man and saw that he was browsing through the archives of Valoran maps. Lux slowly snuck up behind the man, but the man was very keen and noticed Lux. He looked back, which surprised Lux a bit and chuckled.

"Hehe, you looked quite surprised at someone being here at night. Don't worry, I got my permits."

He showed the permits he obtained to access the restricted archives. The man looked as young as Lux, had blonde wavy hair, and wore what seemed like goggles. He extended his hand out to Lux.

"Name's Ezreal, Piltover's very own prodigal explorer. And you are..."

Lux carefully shook his hand, and was about to introduce herself when Ezreal interrupted her.

"Luxanna Crownguard, right? I've read all about the Crownguards before, well, public info, at least. If you're going to ask me, I'm here to study some more Valoran geography. I have been going on to adventures for so long, but I want to get a path to be able to access the southern lands. I've heard that the finest maps are found in Demacia and Noxus. I an't stand those Noxians, so that's how I ended up here."

Lux nodded, although she was surprised at how extensive Ezreal's knowledge about geography and Valoran in general is. She turned back to leave, realizing that soon, the king will be having dinner with the Crownguards out of gratitude and she cannot be late. Ezreal was left in the royal library and continued what he was doing.

She ran towards the great hall in the palace and quickly entered. Her family was already there, waiting for her. Soon, the king entered, accompanied by a well-built man with long hair tied in a ponytail. This man is Xin Zhao, the personal bodyguard of the king. He looked a lot younger than his age would suggest, as his service to the royal family started when he was saved by King Jarvan II. Now, he continues his service to the current king, Jarvan III. He usually maintains a silent disposition despite several different rumors surrounding him and his servitude.

The king sat down the table and started to talk with Lux's parents. First, the king was very grateful about the Dauntless Vanguard's efforts in combat against Noxus. The Dauntless Vanguard was led by none other than Lux's older brother, Garen. Just a few days ago, Jarvan IV was rescued from execution by Garen's brave forces. As dinner went on, the king talked with the Crownguards about several things, including the well-bring of their members who are currently in servitude for the Demacian military.

Lux did not fancy talks and went out while the others were still busy talking. She hurried back to her room in the palace. She continued thinking about what she would do in the upcoming week, as Chronos would not be able to continue training her. She looked out the window and stared at the starry skies, when she heard a knock.

"Come in."

The door opened and a messenger was at the door.

"Mistress, we have a message for you. The traveler has a plan of continuing his exploration, but he requested that someone available from the royal houses of Demacia to join him. He wanted you to accompany him in his next expedition. He will be leaving tomorrow early morning."

Lux brightened up, finally realizing what she can do for the week. To think that she was suddenly getting invited over to discover new lands and regions of Valoran, when most of her life, she spent it around the palace within Demacia. Suddenly, she frowned as she remembered something. Her brother Garen has been very strict with her since before. But still, this is an opportunity she cannot pass up. She suddenly got an idea.

"Tell him that I will meet him tomorrow morning near the library."

The messenger exited and Lux went over to a desk in her room. She prepared a note about her departure. She wondered where they will be heading tomorrow.

'It must be somewhere south, since that's what he was talking about a while ago.'

The next morning, with the sun barely up, Lux packed some of her things and went down. She hurried to the library and saw Ezreal, who was already waiting.

"Oh, you get up early. And I thought I will be doing the waiting here." said Lux

"For someone as busy as me, you need to stay sharp. So, you ready?" asked Ezreal

Lux drew her baton and motioned for Ezreal to keep quiet. She swung it and turned herself and Ezreal invisible.

"Shh, let's hurry, I can only keep us hidden for some time."

Ezreal and Lux hurried out of the city gates and started their journey south. It was past noon when they reached Mogron Pass, which serves as the boundary for the southern lands. Mogron Pass looked like a weathered barrier, with broken earth everywhere. The place has been damaged substantially due to the ancient rune wars.

"It is in this place where a lot of events regarding the ancient rune wars took place. The entire place is teeming with arcane magic remnants."

Ezreal waved his arm in front of his face and he felt some magic flux flowing through his arms. He looked at Lux.

"It might be easy for someone with as much affinity for magic as you, but ever since I was young, I can feel latent magic powers flowing through me. The powers are not as easily accessed though, and I cannot summon the powers by my own will."

Ezreal clenched his fist and managed to summon a little ball of energy after releasing it. Lux spoke up.

"I guess this place was a proof of how much magic power can do when left unmanaged...I have never been here, and it came as a surprise to me to see all the effects in front of my eyes."

Lux looked beyond the barrier and saw a glittering desert, and beyond it, several trees which form a jungle. The jungle was far enough to not be seen in detail, but Lux noticed the vast width of the place beyond North Valoran. Suddenly, the ground around Lux and Ezreal began to shake. Magic energy burst out of everywhere. Ezreal tried to grab on to Lux, but the earthquake shook them away and more explosions send the both of them flying on to Southern Valoran, past the border.

Back in Demacia, Garen was livid when he found out about Lux's disappearance. He quickly got into his armor and grabbed one of the messengers in the palace.

"Where did she go? How dare she leave without asking anyone's permission. She could be in danger right now!" shouted Garen

The messenger was very nervous, but managed to maintain enough composure to talk.

"I...don't know, sir!"

Garen was still not convinced, when he felt something different. He noticed someone seemingly exerting an aura nearby. Garen looked to the side and saw none other than Chronos, who stood with his staff.

"Garen, nobody really knew where she went, as she did not tell anyone. There's nothing she can do to fool me though..hahaha.." said Chronos as he slowly laughed.

"Stop giving me riddles. You may be my sister's teacher, but that doesn't mean that I would tolerate you playing games with me in a situation this crucial!"

Chronos' face changed into a more serious appearance.

"Take your troops, I know where she is now. Her magic has always been linked with me without her knowledge." said Chronos.

Elsewhere, Lux woke up after feeling heat. She noticed herself lying prone in the ground, and she coughed out...sand? Lux got up and wiped some sweat and looked around.

"W...where is this place?"

The look of anxiety and surprise showed in her face as she looked around and saw nothing but sand. Apparently, she was sent into the middle of the desert.

"Could this be... the Shurima Desert? Ezreal! Where are you?"

Her voice merely faded away into the howling winds of the desert as she realize that she was now stranded in the middle of nowhere.

**To be continued...**


	3. The Secret of the Ancients

Chapter 3:

The Secret of the Ancients

Lux looked around the desert. She was stranded here, with nowhere to go. Despite that, she's not one to be scared at a time like this and she started walking around. She wandered through the seemingly endless desert sands. She scanned the flotaing pyramids in the distance.

"Hmm, it was said that these regions were once home to a mighty civilization...maybe I can still find something here to help me with my magic, but I need to find a shade first, as the glare of the sunlight here would be too much for me to handle."

Lux started running towards one of the pyramids in the distance. As she approahced a pyramid, she saw something else near the pyramids. They look like...

"Ruins...I can feel something from the ruins."

Lux decided to divert her attention from the floating pyramid and went her way to the ruins. She found shade in the ruins of what looked like an ancient temple. Beside the ruins was a rather intact structure which looked like an ancient tomb. Lux read something about this, but as of now, little did she know that she was standing in what used to the Temple of the Falcon, where the mages of Shurima hone their craft in magic. For in the ancient times, Shurima used to be a mighty civilization of mages, although the great kingdom soon rose and fell in due time.

Lux's eyes soon gazed into a slab which glowed in a bluish hue. Lux held on to the stone and started feeling some power surging through her. Soon the power overwhelemed her and shocked her arm. She fell back due to the jolt.

"So, this amount of magic concentration does exist around here. I think I would find more stuff inside the tomb."

Lux hurried inside the tomb, not thinking of what might lurk within.

Somewhere near the Mogron Pass, Garen marched on with some Demacian soldiers. His huge armor glistened in the sunlight. He raised his right arm to signal for the soldiers to stop.

"That old man said that he felt Lux's presence somewhere here. There is a chance she may be in that desert right now. So for now, we go forward. The old man told me that he will be the one to take care of everything once we find Lux as long as I do not lose this amulet he gave me."

Back at the tomb, Lux surveyed her surroundings. Inside the dark tomb were several pictures painted on the walls, and several scribbles of hieroglyphic writing were present as well. Lux did not have the ability to read those writings, but she still took a close look at them, trying her best to make out what the writings meant. As she tried to interpret the drawings unsuccessfully, she stopped and kept alert. She looked around the abandoned tomb.

"What is that... I'm hearing voices."

Lux decided to ignore the voices and continued deeper into the tomb. Lux decided to go through a hole which sends her into the underground part of the tomb. As she went further, the voices in her head seem to start getting more and more disturbing. Lux stopped in what looked like a crossroads in the underground.

'_Young sorceress, I see that you chanced upon this place. I am an immortal trapped in this place. The secrets of magic are all with me..._'

Lux tried to sense which way the voice was coming from, and continued moving forward through the right path in the crossroads. As she moved forward, the writings on the wall start flowing with magical energy that Lux can sense. The intensity of the energy grew as she seemingly moved closer to the source of the voices. The writings started glowing in a bright bluish hue.

'_It's only a matter of time...these people cannot control me..._'

Lux reached the end of the road and entered a room. To her surprise, she saw a floating tome on top of what looked like a sarcophagus. The sarcophagus' corners have several magical energy lines attaching it to the ceiling and corners of the room. Lux approached the sarcophagus when she heard the voice again. This time, the voice sounded demanding and spiteful.

'_Those mortals of old cannot contain me. I will show you true power, sorceress. I know that you would know what to do. Take the tome, and free me from this confinement! The eternal power will be yours!_'

Lux nodded, and with a determined look, waved her baton and sent forth a ball of energy. The ball of energy quickly dissipated in a short burst, as the sarcophagus was seemingly protected by a magical force, which burns objects that come close to the sarcophagus. Lux figured out that the tome might be answer to deactivating the barrier. She spent some time thinking, when she suddenly got her idea. She charged her baton and created a barrier around herself.

"I'm still unsure about this, but here goes nothing!"

Lux ran into the sarcophagus with her shield. As she neared the sarcophagus, she felt her entire world shake, and the barrier gave way. She felt energy overloading all over her body and it left her sprawled on the floor. However, she realized that she had bypassed the thin field. She picked up her baton and struggled to her feet. She grabbed the floating tome. Just as she grabbed it, the magical energy binding the sarcophagus disappeared.

Lux stared at the room, when the magical energy seemingly returned in a very unstable form. Lightning bolts shot out of all over the room. Figuring what's going to happen next, Lux immediately ran as far away from the room as she can. The field around the sarcophagus was recreated, and luckily for Lux, she was quick enough not to be trapped inside along with the sarcophagus.

'_Curses, these fools have set a backup plan! Anyway, I will not allow anyone else to get away without first successfully freeing me!_'

Lux turned back and saw lightning coming out from the sarcophagus, which started shaking. Lux barely dodged the lightning bolts. The roof of the tomb start crumbling as the tomb started to collapse.

Lux barely made it out as the tomb collapsed and started sinking underneath the sands. Lux held on to her tome, which she barely escaped with. She brushed off some stains from her clothes when she looked in front and saw Garen with the Demacian soldiers in front of her. Garen had a displeased look on his face.

"Trip's over, and you're coming back with us, now!"

**To be continued...**


	4. The Next Chapter

Author Note: I had a lot of stuff I'm trying to juggle, so I haven't been able to write for a long, long time. Anyways, I recently made a LoL account in the NA servers, so message me if you want to play :)

Chapter 4:

The Next Chapter

It was a bright day in Demacia as a group of soldiers with a serious look in their faces march in the streets. Civilians greeted the soldiers, who did not pay much heed to the civilians. The proceeded forward in front of a big walled structure. The guards to the structure knew about the soldiers and immediately let them in. A lot of commotion can be heard inside the household as the soldiers knocked at the door before entering.

A woman's voice was the first to be heard by the soldiers as they enter. Two adults who are discussing matters looked in their way. The blonde woman continued talking to her husband.

"Do we really have to do this?" asked the woman.

The captain of the group of soldiers cleared his throat. The husband nodded his head.

"It is the greatest honor you could bestow upon our household to take Luxanna. She will serve you well, just like Garen before her."

His wife was quick to object. She immediately stood up.

"Are you really sure about this, Lillia? Your daughter is at an age where she needs her parents the most, especially after getting her older brother taken away." asked the captain.

Before Lillia can speak, her husband interrupted.

"It is all in the king's name. You will provide all the parenting that she will need."

His voice was dismissive, and the captain nodded.

"Very well. It is done."

The screen fades, as scenes of Lux's past continued. Scenes of her locking herself up in her room and crying as she was forced to leave was seen. It soon led to scenes of her early training, with strict voices booming at her to focus and her frustrated screams to her family for doing this to her. It continued with memories of her reciting the Justice Pledge of Demacia, marching beneath the city's banner, and re-reading several magic books in her training.

Lux woke up, lying down in her room. It was late in the morning now, around a week after her "trip" with Ezreal to the desert. She ran her hand through her long hair as she sat up.

"So, it was all a dream..."

Lux had repressed much of her ill feelings for the conscription and had adjusted to the life. Besides, the toughest training phase was complete, which is why she was sent to Chronos for further advanced training. Lux got up and realized that a week had passed. She still did not know what happened to Ezreal, although she still can't forget her brother's anger from her leaving the city without permission and venturing into the desert. She could still remember her brother's worries about her possibly dying out there.

"He worries too much. Oh well, Chronos is going to be here today."

Lux went out of her room after getting some things in order to look for her mysterious mentor. Little did she know about Chronos' involvement in the incident with Garen. She went towards the College of Magic, but stopped as she realized that Chronos would probably not be there yet. She then decided to take a detour into the Royal Library. The place had become one of her favorite hangouts, as she dug the books and archives of the Demacian royalty. As she entered, she paced around wondering which section to visit when she carelessly bumped shoulders with another girl who looked a bit older than her, causing the other girl to drop her book.

"Oh, sorry!" Lux quickly apologized, and she looked at the girl. Lux had never seen this person before, but she must be someone important to be given access to the Royal Library.

She was a bit taller than Lux and had a sharp gaze on her eyes unlike Lux's easygoing and cheerful eyes. She had long black hair.

Lux went over to pick up the books she caused the person to drop, but the other person quickly snatched it and carried it with her.

"No, thanks!"

Her voice was quite sharp and she ignored Lux as she continued on her way. She glanced back at Lux and her lips curled into a small smile as she turned back and walked away for good.

"So, is she the person..." the girl mumbled as she went on her way.

Lux was left wondering about that girl and who she was. Setting the incident aside, the continued forward.

Afternoon came and Lux was on her way to the College of Magic. Upon entrance, she was immediately greeted by the figure of Chronos. Lux quickly ran forward and hugged her mentor.

"It's been a week, and I've missed you!"

Chronos chuckled and patted Lux on her head. The old man then turned back and beckoned Lux to come.

"I promised you that I will introduce you to someone, right? Now, come with me to our training room."

Chronos paced forward. Despite his age, he is still a very strong person and has immense stamina. They enter the room, when Chronos spoke up.

"Ezreal was safe. He is now continuing his expeditions to the ends of Valoran."

Lux was surprised as to how Chronos knew about the incident. She tried asking, when Chronos asked Lux to wait in the room as he quickly went out. Lux's attention then shifted to the person Chronos will be introducing to her. She was curious as to who this "special someone" is.

A moment later, Chronos re-entered the room. Lux's eyes widened as she saw who's behind him. Chronos entered the room followed by the girl Lux ran into a while back. She had a smirk in her face.

"Lux, meet my daughter, Stella. She will be training with you from this day onwards. Not only that, she will also be staying in the palace."

Lux hesitated for a split-second but quickly waved her hand at Stella. She extended her hand out for a handshake.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Lux. I hope we get along well."

Stella hesitated for a moment. She slowly took Lux's hand and shaked it.

"I know even without you telling me." Stella quickly followed up.

Lux was bewildered by this newcomer's quite hostile nature. Chronos hit the ground with his staff to catch both girls' attention.

"For today, we'll just have a gauge of how well you measure with each other, so I can decide how to handle Lux's training. Think of it as a simple sparring exercise."

The two girls stood in front of each other. Stella never changed her serious expression. Lux looked on in confusion and bewilderment, but soon changed into a serious expression. Chronos signaled the start of the practice battle.

Lux quickly swung her baton and turned invisible. Stella stood in her spot unfazed. She did not even bother glancing around. She summoned light out of her arms and swung them around. The light caused a spark somewhere, which was revealed to have hit Lux. She managed to block much of the attack but her invisiblity was quickly broken. Stella glanced at her. Without a word or change in expressions, she quickly summoned new orbs from her left arm. This time, it's made of fire, and the orb was quickly shot towards Lux. Instead of dodging, Lux decided to throw her baton around to create a barrier. The fire orbs quickly broke her barrier and sent her flying backwards. Stella turned around and joined her two arms to create a strong energy gathering at her palms. She shouted and quickly blasted an energy beam from there which went in Lux's direction. Lux was in no position to dodge to defend as the beam went straight at her. She closed her eyes.

Lux opened her arms and was shocked to find out that she was unharmed. Chronos had stepped in front of the attack and protected her from the energy beam.

"Stella, that would be enough, stop this instant!"

Stella stopped and sighed. She shook her head and left the room, with Chronos and Lux looking at her direction. Chronos shook his head as Stella left the room.

"I guess that will have to do it for today. I'm really sorry that things turned out this way...We'll resume tomorrow. Stella really has a very serious and apathetic nature at times. There's really no 'sparring' for her, and she treats everything like it's the real thing. Don't worry, you can learn a lot from her, trust me... Just don't bother learning her attitude."

Lux returned with a cheerful expression in her face. Even though it seemed light, her expression did show signs of determination.

"Don't worry, master. In due time, I will surpass her!" declared Lux, clenching her fist as she stood up.

**To be continued...**


	5. Final Sparkle

Chapter 5:

Final Sparkle

It was a cloudy afternoon in Demacia. The city does not have the sparkle it had before. The College of Magic's simulation room continued to emit loud noises. The simulation room is built in a way which greatly weakens all magical energies from within to keep the participants relatively safe. Inside, Lux rolled sideways as Stella fired a beam towards her. This was a month after their first sparring training, and Lux has already learned several new strategies in battle thanks to Chronos and in some part to her brother Garen. One thing Lux realized is that unlike most soldiers in battle, she can easily use her light weight for increased maneuverability while casting her spells. It took a few weeks, but she finally learned to attack while in complex motion, unlike before where she can only cast her spells while standing. Despite having a month pass, Stella has not warmed up to Lux one bit. She mostly avoided Lux during the time they spent together inside the royal palace. One thing Stella consistently did is being smug, but then, it was due to her pride and the fact that after a month, she remained superior to her father's student.

Stella shot energy beams toward the ground as Lux leaped sideways, firing a small blast from her baton to propel her upwards. As she was in midair, she used her baton to summon several orbs around Stella, and in a flash, detonated them, causing an explosion. Lux lands on one knee as the smoke cleared. Stella stood in place. She used her magic to overpower Lux's explosions. A buzzer sounded and Chronos slowly made his way between Lux and Stella.

"That would be enough now. I've recorded the statistics from the battle. Lux, you showed great improvement in this scrimmage. However, Stella is still the better sorceress as the sparring showed."

Stella twisted her hair and used one hand to fling some of her hair as she left the room with a chuckle. Lux was not able to say anything at first at Chronos' evaluation. However, she quickly cheered up and smiled.

"So, I guess I did improve."

Lux bowed and pranced away giggling. Chronos looked at Lux longingly and nodded. When Lux was out of sight, Chronos sighed and slowly shook his head. He knew all Lux was doing was hiding some of her disappointment. There is one thing he knew, and that was the fact that Lux was pretty impatient. She must have been disappointed at still not being able to surpass her rival. Chronos then looked out through the windows, as if looking for something. After a while, Chronos walked towards a cabinet near the room and took the tome that Lux found in the desert. He opened it and began analyzing the details of the tome with intrigue.

Lux walked towards her room in the royal palace, when she overheard a meeting among the elite members of the Demacian royal families in a hall. She eavesdropped a bit.

"We have to do something already. We are not seeing it now, but some of the scouts have reported a build-up of Noxian forces outside the border." said one man.

"It could be a trap. For all we know, our soldiers might be overcome by reinforcements should we act too rashly." said another man.

"We'll just send some part of the military in there, shouldn't we?" replied a third man.

"I'll be the one to take care of that."

Lux recognized the fourth voice. It was none other than Chronos.

"When did you enter? We'll tolerate none of your magic tricks. You may be our guest, but we would not allow our authority to be overturned by you." said the first voice apprehensibly.

"It's simple. I know Demacia's code of honor, and sending troops would pretty much doom them to die in the battlefield. How about we just send Lux and my daughter in? Give them some backup...maybe They would turn the tide into our favor with just the two of them." said Chronos.

A slam to the table was heard. Lux heard her brother Garen speak in a rude tone.

"Some backup? Are you crazy, old man? At that rate, those backup would not be enough to protect them."

Everyone else agreed to Chronos' suggestion, and Garen cannot overturn the decision. In frustration, Garen spoke up again.

"If that's what you want, then send ME in with them."

Lux heard Garen get up from his chair. Lux quickly ran away from the hall entrance, before she got far, she heard Garen shout at her.

'Oops, too late.' she thought to herself.

"I suppose you overheard everything. Tomorrow, they have decided. We are going to take the forces to the Marshes of Kaladoun. Also, your fellow apprentice is coming with us."

An hour later, Lux was lying down in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She's used to going with the military, as she went through combat in the field already. Still, something felt ominous for the event tomorrow. Lux then heard some knocks on the door. She opened it and found Chronos standing at the doorway. His arrival was a pleasant surprise to Lux.

"Master, what is it that brings you here tonight?" asked Lux.

"Let me sit down and have a little talk with you before you set out with your brother tomorrow."

Lux welcomed Chronos in and gave him a seat. Chronos sat down and looked at Lux seriously.

"Lux, I am sure you have been through this before, the battles, I mean. However, I have observed something about you that I have not seen for quite some time already. It is indeed true that you are a prodigy and one of Demacia's greatest assets. Your training within a month has shown me your potential."

Lux looked serious at Chronos' words. She looked at Chronos with a straight face.

"Master, everyone tells me that, yet..."

Chronos was quick to interrupt. He chuckled slowly before continuing.

"I guess it is time to take it to the next level. Lux, I have sensed extraordinary magical affinity within you, even more so than with Stella!"

Lux's eyes widened at that statement.

"Can't believe that? It is because of the fact that you were holding back. You were never motivated enough to harness your full potential. All your training, you simply did it for the sake of training and not to take your skills to the next level. Let me tell you this, a little focus can go a long way. Your greatest ability can still be harnessed if you would just put yur mind to it."

Lux was about to talk, but Chronos still continued.

"I have known about your past. I knew the reason why you were here in the first place. You try to mask all your sorrows by your cheerful outlook. You use your love for the city-state as a reason for all that you do, although that is not what's truly in your heart. Expose your true mindset and you will feel a burden lifted. Lux, let it all out, and you will unlock your Final Sparkle!"

"M-me?" asked Lux

"Yes, and I have no doubt that you can do it. Not now, and maybe not even a month from now, but soon, you will find the answer you are looking for."

Chronos stood up and left Lux in her room to think.

**To be continued...**


	6. Resolve

Chapter 6:

Resolve

The platoon from the Demacian army marched through the noon sun. Carrying the Demacian banners which seemingly sparkle in the sunlight. Leading the troop was Garen, carrying his usual heavy armor and his gigantic sword. Lux and Stella walked alongside Garen on his opposite sides, with the former being more cautious and the latter being more confident. Lux continued to recall the conversation she had with Chronos.

'My ultimate ability...'

They approach the Marshes of Kaladoun, evident by the change of the environment. The Marshes of Kaladoun starts a huge expand of marshes, being connected to the Serpentine River and the Howling Marsh. There is stark contrast between the Serpentine River and the Howling Marsh, as the Serpentine River is full of vegetation and plant life, while the Howling Marsh is a dark wetland home to the undead. The Marshes of Kaladoun have a little of both areas near it. It contains some lush vegetation, although its area is not as densely populated with trees as the Serpentine River. It does reek of death, although to a far lesser extent than the Howling Marsh. The Howling Marsh's signature dark clouds are also not present here.

"Keep your guards up! We're entering through these woodlands. Be prepared for an assault!" warned Garen to his troops as they walk past the wetlands and enter the forest.

So far, no sign of anything. Only some creatures such as wolves and golems reside in this part of Kaladoun. Lux can tell that they were already approaching the Serpentine River, as the forest started growing denser and denser. Less sunlight was peering through the trees.

"Strange, I thought the enemy was situated near the open area of the Marshes of Kaladoun. We're approaching the Serpentine River already, and there's still no sign of them." asked Lux to her brother.

Before Garen can answer, an arrow pierced through his armor, causing Lux to shout in shock. Stella quickly fired energy beams from her right arm through the thick forests, which revealed a troop of archers on higher group aiming at them. Soon, arrows soon rained.

"It's a trap! There's no more time to waste. Everyone, charge!" shouted Garen, after plucking out the arrow.

The army put their shields up to parry the attacks as Lux used her barrier to shield herself, Stella, and Garen. Lux decided to find cover among the trees as she charges her spells up. She summons a moving ball of light towards a thick bush and causes it to explode, apprently hitting a hidden enemy, as she heard the shouts as they get blasted back.

"I need to find a way to get to the top. That way, I can easily take the archers out in bunches and give us the advantage."

A catapult from the high ground started firing at the Demacian army, causing a lot of chaos. Bodies started flying across the battlefield as some Noxus soldiers started their charge from the slopes. The Demacian and Noxian forces clash at the midway point in the slope. Lux moved to a side route to find a good spot to hit the archers, who continue to give Noxus the advantage with their barrages from the top. Garen was bravely fighting and taking down enemy after enemy in the frontlines. He spun his sword and sent five enemy soldiers flying towards their allies.

"Our armies are at a clear disadvantage here. Damn those people for underestimating the enemy's numbers. They even had seige weaponry which we don't have. Gah, forget it. All for Demacia!"

At that instant, Garen seemingly gained even more endurance, taking in the arrow attacks like nothing. He started plowing through the enemy frontline, shifting the battle at the slope into stalemate between the forces despite all the extra help Noxus had from long range.

Lux continued to find a way in which she can get a clear shot as she treads through the forest. Stella was nowhere to be seen, but that's not the main concern now. Lux continued her walk among the trees, sending her orb of light to create a path.

She turned a corner and noticed some rustling all around her. As she looked around and got ready for battle, she suddenly felt something stinging as she got hit in the neck. She fell down, and she realized that she was hit by a blowdart to the neck.

"This is bad. Really bad..."

Lux plucked out the blowdart, but realized that her movements are getting restricted. The dart was poisoned, as a rogue comes out of hiding from the trees.

"So, Demacia sent a spellcaster for the battle eh? Noxus was more than prepared for that."

He unsheated a dagger as Lux laid paralyzed.

'Ugh...darn this! Is this it?...'

Suddenly, a beam of energy shot out from the other side and blasted the rogue away. From the several rustling leaves stepped Stella. She took a look at Lux and sighed.

"Weak as usual. Don't get the wrong idea here. These mooks are everywhere here. Haven't you even sensed their presence?"

The poison started wearing off as Lux got back to her feet. She brushed off some dirt from her clothes as she got up. She took her baton and wanted to thank Stella, but she was gone as quickly as she arrived. Lux decided to go on her way to find a good spot to attack. She's not going to let herself to just be bested by Stella.

The scene shifts to Chronos inside the College of Magic. He skimmed through the tome Lux found in the desert. He suddenly started acting weirdly. He closed his eyes as he continued to try to gather himself. After some time, he started making his way towards the royal library. He entered the archives and approached the section dealing with dark arts, which lie at the farthest corner of the library. The section is heavily protected and only the greatest magic scholars can access it by deciphering the barrier blocking the section. Chronos easily undid the protective barrier and reached out to a dusty tome. His lips slowly curled into an uncharacteristic smirk.

Back at the battlefield, Lux managed to find a good spot to attack the Noxian forces. She peered through the leaves and saw a clear view of the slope.

"No good, I cannot use my light ball to reach them from this distance..."

Just as she was thinking, a figure appeared in front of Lux. It was a huge figure which towered above her.

"An ancient golem!"

Lux was quick on her feet. She jumped back and fired several light balls at the golem, which exploded on impact, yet the golem stood its ground. The golem lumbered towards Lux and was able to catch her off-guard. The golem swung its arms, sending Lux crashing towards a nearby tree. She was able to use the same technique she used against Stella before to propel herself away from the tree. She realized that it was a bad decision after all as she put herself in front of the golem, who threw her around into another tree. This time, Lux was too hurt to prevent the impact and crashed into the tree. She sat with her back against the tree as the golem approached her.

"There's no other way now...just this once. Focus!"

Lux closed her eyes and felt some power surging within her. She had this ability all along, it's just that she never managed to tap into it. Lux opened her eyes with renewed determination and with her remaining energy, she channeled her powers into her hands and her baton.

"This is all or nothing! Yaaaaaahhh!"

She managed to shoot out a huge sparkly beam, which pierced through the golem and through the woods in front of her. The golem falls as Lux's arms fell limp at her side. She continued breathing heavily while sitting against the tree. Even she herself was shocked at what just transpired.

Elsewhere, Stella turned her head and saw the huge shining beam shoot out from the woods. She stared at it, and went towards its direction after realizing that only Lux can be responsible for that.

**To be continued...**


End file.
